Material gathering and loading machine



Jan. 6, 1942. F. CARTLIDGE MATERIAL GATHERING AND LOADING MACHINE Filed Deo. ll, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet l wl'lllllnllII-llll MM2 NN. WN. s NNN M NN Jan. 6,'1942. F. CARTLIDGE 2,269,078

l MATERIAL GATHERING AND LOADING MACHINE l 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 11, 1939 BY M27.

ATTORNEY Jan. 6., 1942. F. CARTLIDGE 2,269,078

' MATERIAL GATHERING AND `LOADING MACHINE Filed Deo. ll. 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY Jan. 6, v194,2.

MATERIAL GATHIERIG AND LOADING lMACHINE Filed Dec. 1l, 1939 INVENTOR ATTORNEY F.y CARTLIDGE 2,269,078

5 Sheets-Shes?I 4 Jan. 6, 1942. F; CARTUDGE 2,269,078

MATERIAL GATHER-ING AND LOADING MACHINE Filed Deo. ll, 1959 5 ShQetS-Sheet 5 /57 5 ,55' 82 naa/,4t fa I Y lNvENToR B'Z'M ATTORNEYI Patented Jan. 6, 1942 MATERIAL GATHERING AND LOADING f MACHINE Frank Cartli'dge, Chicago, Ill., assignor to 'Goodman Manufacturing" Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois f Application December 11, 1939, Serial No. 308,565 s claims. (ci. 19a-1r) This invention vrelates to improvements in material gathering and loading machines vparticularly adapted for loading lcoal at the working face of a mine.

The principal objects of .my invention are to provide a simple and eiiicient machine of the character described, of a low overall height, suitable for operation in thin seams oi' coal` and hav-` ing a novel iorm of continuous conveyer extending from one end. of the machine to the, other, arranged so as to reduce the height of the machine and provide utmost exibility for the receiving and discharge ends of the conveyer by eliminating a plurality of conveyers arranged in cascade relationship with respect to each other, and providing laterally ilexible and yvertically adjustable gathering and discharge ends for the conveyor. s

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a loading machine of the character described having` .one continuous conveyer extending from one end of the machine to the other, with a novel form ol. pivotal supporting connection for the front end of the conveyor,` together with a novel arrangement of parts for the conveyer, to permit independent lateral swinging movement and elevation of the front and rear parts of the conveyer, and to render the use of hold-down guides unnecessary when the iront and rear ends of the conveyer are in various Figure 3' is an. enlarged fragmentary plan view I of the forward portion of the machine, Awith certain parts broken away and certain other parts shown in horizontal section;

Figurev 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the j" rear part of the machine, drawn to the same scale as Figure 3 and with certain Aparts brokenv away and certain other parts lshown in horizontalz section;

Figure. 5 is a fragmentary detail view of the g i central part of thev machine, with certain parts broken away and certain other parts shown i horizontal section;

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional View taken substantially along line 6-6 of Figure, 5;

Figure `'7 is a view in side elevation of the central part of the machine, ,with certain parts broken away and certainotherparts shown in longitudinal section; and

Figure 8 is a View in side elevation of the forward end of the machine, with certain parts brokeny away and certain other parts shown in longitudinal section.

Referring now in` particular toFigures 1 and 2 of the drawings and the general arrangement of the machine embodying my invention', a main frame Il!y is providedr which is mounted on track wheels Il, Il and axles l2, l2.V A conveyer I4 is mounted on said main frame and extends over and beyondthe rear end ofsaid frame from a point disposed adjacent the ground in advance of the forward end thereof. y

The conveyer I4 is of the continuous center strand endless chain and flight type and includes a laterally .and vertically movable inclined elevating trough section I 5, laterally swingable to permit the gathering of material from either side of the track and vertically adjustable about an axis disposed adjacent itsrear end,l to permit a gathering element I3 on its forward end to pick up material Aalong the ground Aor break down and pick up material from a substantial distance below the track or from variouselevations with` respect to the ground. Said conveyer also includes a stationary central trough section I 6 spaced from said elevatingl section, and a vertically adjustable and laterally Vmovable discharge trough section Il having a receiving end spaced from said central portion.

The elevating trough section l5 of the con. veyer is connected with the stationary central trough section I 6, by means of an articulated trough construction including a'plurality of interconnected trough segments i8, I8, and said central troughsection is vconnected with said rear discharge trough section, by means of a similar articulated trough constructionincluding a plurality of interconnected trough ysegments I9, i9. y The articulated connectionA between said forward and central and central and rear portions of said conveyer is the same as that shown v'and described in application lSerial No. 308,564,

' in detail.

"ifi

filed herewith, so will not herein be described The conveying elements of the conveyer include an endless chain 20 of the laterally flexible type having ights 2l, 2| projectingv laterally therefrom at suitable intervals. Saidchainextendsv along the central portion of said conveyer from the forward end of said inclined'felechains are guided for movement along opposite Y sides of the forward end of said conveyor from a point disposed forwardly of the forward end thereof, for progressing coal upwardly along an inclined apron 3| onto said conveyer.

A motor 23 is mounted on the main frame I0 adjacent the rear end thereof, for driving the conveyer |4 and the track wheels II, Il. The drive from said motor to said track wheels includes a transverse shaft 24 mounted in a gear housing 25 and driven from said motor by a chain and sprocket drive generally indicated by reference character 21 (see Figure 5) A pair of spaced apart spur gears 29, 29 is freely mounted on the shaft 24. 'One of said spur gears meshes with a spur gear 33 keyed on a transversely extending shaft 28. The other of said spur gears meshes with an idler gear 35, which meshes with a spur gear 35 keyed on said transverse shaft (see Figure '1). A pair of oppositely facing friction cone clutches generally indicated by reference character 30 is provided to connect one of said gears with said shaft at a time (see Figure for reversely driving the shaft 28 without reversal of the motor 23. A pinion 31, keyed on said last mentioned transverse shaft, meshes with and drives a spur gear 38 keyed on a transverse shaft 39. A spur pinion 48, keyed on the transverse shaft 39, meshes with and drives a spur `gear 4I, freely mounted on a transversely extending shaft 44. Said spur gear is adapted to be connected with said last mentioned transverse shaft,

for driving said shaft and the track wheels at a relatively low feeding speed. A spur gear is keyed on the transverse shaft 39 and meshes with a spur gear 46 freely mounted on the transverse shaft 44. Said spur gear is likewise adapted to be -connected with said transverse shaft, for driving said shaft and the track wheels II, I I at a higher tramming speed. Either one of the spur gears 4I or 45 may be connected with the shaft 44, for driving said shaft. by any suitable clutch arrangement. The clutch arrangement herein shown is a jaw clutch arrangement of an ordinary construction, and is generally indicated by reference character 41.

A sprocket 49 is keyed on the transverse shaft 44 outsideof the gear casing 25, and meshes with an endless drive chain 5|). Said drive chain is trained around sprockets 5|, 5I on the front and rear axles I2, I2, for driving said axles and the wheels I I, II. Said chain is held in engagement with the sprocket 49 by means of idler rollers 52, 52, disposed on opposite sides of said sprocket. The 'loading machine may thus be driven in reverse directions at a high tramming speed or low feeding speed.

A suitable band brake generally indicated by reference character 53 is provided on the shaft 44, to serve as a braking means for the machine (see VFigure 5).

The drive from the motor 23 to the conveyer I4 includes a sprocket 55 keyed 'on a transversely 75 lreference character 63.

extending shaft 5E, which meshes with the endless chain 20 (see Figures 4 and 6). Said shaft is driven from a transversely extending shaft 51 by means of a pair of meshing spur gears, generally indicated by reference character 59. The shaft 51 has a roller 68 freely mounted thereon, which serves as a tension idler for said endless chain. A`tension idler 6| is mounted on the opposite side of said sprocket.

The transverse shaft 51 is driven from the motor 23 by means of a chain and sprocket drive generally indicated by r-eference character 62 and an overload release clutch generally indicated by Said clutch, as herein shown, is of the friction cone type and is held in an engaged position by means of a compression spring 64. The details of said clutch will not herein be shown or described since they [are no part of my present invention.

Referring now to the novel form of mounting f or the inclined velevating section I5 of the conveyer, a laterally swinging frame 19 is provided. Said frame projects forwardly of the forward end of the main frame I0 and has said elevating section of the conveyer mounted thereon, adjacent its r-earend, for vertical adjustment about the axis of a transverse shaft 88 (see Figures 5 and 7). Said transverse shaft is mounted at its ends in inwardly extending bosses 8|, 8| of spaced apart support brackets 82, 82, projecting forwardly from opposite sides of said frame. Said bosses form a pivotal support for a frame 83 of said forwardly inclined elevating portion of the conveyer. Said swinging frame is mounted adjacent its rear end on a vertical shaft 84, which is journaled in said main frame at its upper and lower ends on vertically spaced ball bearings 85, 85, mounted at the forward end of said main frame.

' The means for elevating or lowering the forward end of said inclined elevating portion of thel conveyer about the axis of the transverse shaft 88 includes a pair of laterally spaced fluid pressure cylinders 81, 81, transversely pivoted adjacent their rear ends on the forward end of said frame, on forwardly projecting support brackets 88, 88; Said support brackets are herein shown as being formed integral with and projecting forwardly from the casing of a motor 90, which motor serves to drive the gathering chains and arms 22, 22. Suitable pistons (not shown) are mounted within said cylinders and have piston rods 9|, 9| projecting therefrom, which are slidably mounted at their ends in slots 92,' 92 formed in brackets 98, 98 depending from the fram-e of said conveyer (see Figure 8). The purpose of said slots is to permit a certain amount of freedomof movement of the conveyer in an upward direction, to enable it to move upwardly when engaging an obstruction. Said piston rods, when engaging the rear ends of said slots, may positively pivot said elevating section in a downward Idirection against the' ground to elevate or lower the forward end of the truck frame. Said cylinders and pistons may thus serve as jacks to aid in putting the machine on the track, in cases where it has been derailed.

The swinging frame 19 and forward end of the conveyer are swung about the axis of the vertical shaft 84 by means of a fluid pressure cylinder 93, having a piston 94 therein. Said cylinder is mounted on one of the side frame members of th'e main frame I0, and, as herein shown, projects'laterally therefrom and extends along driven by said meshing bevel gears.

acfracvs endn with a' bracket |25, projecting outwardly said main frame. Said piston is provided with a pair of vertically spaced piston rods 95, 95,*projecting forwardly from said cylinder.

A exible member or endless chain 91 is connected between the piston rods 95, 95, for horizontally swinging the forward end of the conveyer, upon rectilinear movementof said piston rods. Said piston rods are pivotally connected at their forward ends with a link 96 of said chain by means of a pivotal pin 99, mounted at its ends in said piston rod (see Figure 6) One portion of said endless chain is trained forwardly from said piston rods around an idler roller and angularly rearwardly and inwardly from said roller' around an idler roller |'0|. Said portion of said chain then extends forwardly of said roller around a portion of the outside of a rearwardly projecting semi-circular engaging portion |03 of said swinging frame. The end of said portion of said chain is 'yieldably connected with said engaging portion of said frame by means of a rod |04 extending through a bracket |05. A compression springv |06 encircles said. rod and is interposed between said bracket and a nut |01 on the end of said rod, to yieldably conneet said rod to said bracket..

The other portion of said chain isv trained rearwardly from the pivotal pin 99, to andaround an idler roller I 09 and diagonally across the machine frame, where it engages the. rearwardly projecting engaging portion |03 of the frame 19. Said portion of said. chain is yieldabl'y connected at its end to the. end of said rearwardly'projecting portion of said frame, opposite from the bracket |95, on a support bracket'` l0, in a manner similar to the manner in which the opposite end of said chain is connected to the support bracket |05.

The motor 90 on the forward end of the swinging frame 19 serves to drive the gathering chains and arms 22, 22. The drive from said motor to said gathering chains and arms includes a chain and sprocket drive H3, which has driving' vconnection with on overload release clutch generally indicated by reference character H4. Said overload release clutch has'. connection with the transversely extending shaft 80, which is coaxial with and journaled in the inwardly extend- .ing bosses 8|, 8| of said swinging frame. Chain and sprocket drives generally indicated by reference character ||6, 6 are provided to drive said gathering elements from opposite ends of said shaft. The drive from each of said chain and sprocket drives includes a pair of meshing bevel gears generally indicated by reference character ||1 and a pair of meshing spur gears Said bevel and spurgear reductions are journaled in casingsl |l Ic, ||9 mounted beneath the apron 3|, adjacent opposite sides of the conveyer;

The discharge trough section |-1 is supported en a laterally swingable arm and. is swung laterally with respect to the frame. |0 by means of auid pressure cylinder |2'|, pivotally mounted at its head end on a bracket |22, projecting outwardly from a support bracket |23 `(see Figures 1 and 4). Said support bracket is transversely pivcted on a pair of upright supports |30,

i3d and serves as a trunnion support for said -from said piston, has pivotal connection at its fromaside" wall of said discharge trough section.

Thesupporting connection between the arm |20 and the support bracket |23 for supporting the discharge trough section for lateral swinging movement, is the same as. that disclosed in applicaticnserial No. 308,564, led herewith, so will only be described in so far as is necessary to make my present invention clearly understandable. A cam-shaped rocking member |21 depends from the arm |20 and is adapted to extend within aguide |123, formedin the bracket |23. Said 'gu-ide and rocking member are each of an irregular formation so that as the cylinder |2| and piston rod |24. engage said rocking member with said' guide, during swinging movement of said trough section, said guide will extend or retract said discharge trough section during swinging movement thereof, to compensate for increases in the length of the path of. travel of the chain 20r as. said trough. section is swung to one extreme side or the other of: the conveyer` The. support bracket |23 and discharge end of the cenveyer are vertically adjusted about the aids of privotal connection of said. support bracket to the trunnion supports. |30, by means of apair of laterally spaced cylinders and pistons, generally indicated by reference character |31 (isee Figure 2f) The admission of fluid under pressure to the controlled by a suitable system of valves (not shown) in an .ordinary manner. Pressure in the system is effected by' means of a fluid pressure pump generally indicated by reference character |34. Said pump is driven from a gear train generally indicated by reference character |35, which isoperative'ly connected with the motor 23, Said valves, pump and gear train may be of any ordinary construction and are not herein shownor described in. detail, since they form no part of my present invention.

Referring now in particular to the novel form i of connection for taking care of increases or decreases in the length of the path of travel of the endless chain 2d, as the inclined elevating portion of. the cenveyer is swung laterally about the axis of the vertical shaft 84, said endless chain is trained over anr idler |36, under an adjustable tension idler |31 and over an idler |38 (see Figure 8).y Said idlers are mounted in side frame members |39, |39 of the elevating portion ofthe cenveyer, just rearwardly of the apron 3|. The

' tension idler |31 is journaled on a transversely extending shaft |40 (see Figure 3*). Said shaft is mounted at its ends on lever arms |4I, |4| of bell crank members |42, |42. Said shaft extends through slots |43, |43 formed in the side y the ends thereof are anchored to the truck frame at the rear end of said guide at |'46a (see Figure 3). cables opposite from said guides, extend through apertured portions of said lever arms and have yieldable'engagement therewith through compression springs |49, |49' encircling said rods.v

Rods M1, |41, secured to the ends of said Said springs are interposed between nuts |50, |50, threaded on the ends of said rods, and collars |5|, |5I, abutting said lever arms. Said cables are'trained rearwardly from bell cranks around sheaves |53, |53, and inwardly to and around sheaves |54, |54. From said sheaves said cables extend rearwardly and are trained around the guides |46, |46, and are anchored at the rear ends of said guides.

As the inclined elevating portion of the conveyer is swung laterally to one side of the machine, one cable I 45 will wrap around the respective guide |46, while the other cable will unwrap from its guide |46 and tend to slacken. Slack in either of said cables will be taken up by the respective compression spring |49. The cable wrapping around its respective guide will pivot both bell cranks in a counterclockwise direction through the shaft |44, to take up any slackv in the conveyer chain caused by the decrease in the length of its path of travel as the conveyer is'swinging to an extreme position of articulation. As said elevating portion of the conveyer is swung to a central position, said bell cranks will pivot in an opposite direction, to compensate for the increasing path of travel of said chain.

Referring now in particular to the articulated trough construction between the inclined elevating portion I5 and the central portion I6 of the conveyer, and between the discharge portion and said central portion, said articulated conveyer construction is the same as that shown and described in my application Serial No. 308,564, yi'lledherewith, so will not herein be described in detail. The trough segments I8, I8 include an upper trough portion |51 and a lower chain guiding portion |58. Said upper and lower portions of said trough segments are pivotally connected together by pivotal pins |59, |59. The forward trough segment I8 has pivotal connection with a bottom plate |60 of the forward portion of the conveyer, and the rear trough segment I8 has pivotal connection with a bottom plate 'I4 of the central section of the conveyer. Movement of the trough segments I8, I8 with respect to each other during articulation of the forward end of the conveyer is equalized by means of a plurality of interconnected parallel links |55, |55. The extreme end links are pivotally connected to the trough sections I5 and I6 and alternate of said links are pivotally connected to said trough segments at the points of pivotal connection of said links together, intermediate their ends.

In a like manner the segments I9, I9 of the second articulated portion of the conveyer include an upper trough portion |6I and a lower chain guiding portion |62. The forward trough segment I9 has pivotal connection with a bottom plate |63 of the vertically swingable portion of saidcentral portion of the conveyer, and the rear trough segment I9 has pivotal connection with the forward end of the bottom of a telescoping trough section |64. Said telescoping trough section is telescopically mounted in the forward end of the discharge trough section to permit extension or retraction of said discharge trough section with respect to said trough segments. The gaps between the bottom and side walls of said trough segments are closed in a manner similar to that mentioned in my aforementioned application, so said closure' means will not herein be described. .A plurality of interconnected parallel links |65, IE5,are provided central section of the conveyer.

to equalize movement of said trough segments with respect to each other. Said links are pivotally connected to the trough sections IE and and' to said trough segments in the same manner the links |55, |55 are pivotally connected to the trough sections I5 and I6 and the trough segments I8, I8.

' It may be seen from the foregoing that the articulated trough construction just described enables the construction of a loading machine having a continuous articulated conveyer extending from one end of the machine to the other, which is so arranged as to permit independent lateral and vertical swinging movement of the forwardY and rear ends of the conveyer with respect to each other, to enable material to be Apickedup from opposite sides of the track upon which the machine is mounted and to be discharged to either side of the track. It may also be seen that the arrangement is such as to eliminate intermediate hoppers on the machine and thus enable the minimum vertical dimensions of the machine to be maintained.

Referring now to Figure 2 and the novel arrangement of the conveyer, to render the use of hold down guides for the conveyer chain unnecessary, during all positions of vertical adjustment of the front and rear portions of said conveyer, it will be noted that the discharge section I'I of the conveyer is inclined downwardly towards the rear of the machine, while the central section I6 is inclined downwardly towards the front of the machine. Likewise the angle of inclination of the elevating section of the conveyer is steeper than the angle of the The limits of vertical adjustment of said discharge and elevating sections of the conveyer are such that when said sections are in extreme positions of vertical adjustment, all of said sections will be in horizontal alignment with the centralsection. Thusl when the conveyer sections are positioned as shown in Figure 2, the tendency will be for the chain tobe held in engagement with the bottom platesof the respective conveyer sections, due to the downwardly inclined angles of the forward and rear sections of the conveyer with respect to the central section thereof. Likewise, at no time will the front and rear sections be inclined at an angle which is less than degrees. Thus the angular relation between the conveyer trough sections tends to pull the chain down on the bottom plates of the conveyer and can never be such as to cause the conveyer chain to rise above the bottom plates of said conveyer trough sections.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it will be 'understood that the construction thereof and the arrangement of the various parts may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting my invention to the specific embodiment illustrated, excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A loading machine including a main frame mounted'on track wheels and axles, a conveyer mounted on said main frame and extending from the ground in advance of said main frame over the top thereof and beyond the rear end thereof, an inclined elevating trough section mounted for lateral swinging movement with respect to said main frame and for vertical adjustment with respect thereto about' a transverse axis, a cen- -main frame and for vertical adjustment with respect thereto about a horizontal transverse axis, and articulated trough connections between -said elevating section and central section `and said central section and discharge section,.form inga continuous flexible trough fromone end of the conveyer to the other.

2. A track mounted loadingmachineincluding a main frame', a conveyer mounted on. said main frame and-extending from the ground in advance of said'xnain frame over the top thereof and beyond the rear end thereof, an inclined elevating trough section mounted for lateral swinging movement with respect to said truck and for vertical adjustment with respect thereto about a transverse axis and having endless chain gathering devices extending along opposite sides of the forward end thereof, a central trough section mounted on said frame and spaced from said ele-l vating trough section, and a laterally swingable v rear sections are in various positions of articulation.

3. In a track mounted loading machine, a main frame, a conveyer, said conveyer extending from the ground in advance of said main frame, over the top of said main frame and laterally beyond the rear end thereof, gathering mechanism on the forward end of said conveyer, the forward end of said conveyer being laterally movable and also being vertically adjustable about a horizontal transverse axis, the rear end of said conveyer being laterally movable and also being vertically adjustable about a horizontal transverse axis and the central portion of said conveyer being fixed from lateral movement, a laterally flexible endless chain having spaced apart flights projecting laterally from opposite sides thereof, extending along the center of said conveyer from one end thereof to the other, and the planes of inclination of the material carrying surfaces of said forward and discharge portions of said conveyer being at angles with respect to the plane of the material carrying surface of said central portion, which will hold said chain in downward engagement with the material carrying surface of said conveyer from one end to the other when said forward and rear portions are in various positions of vertical adjustmentwith respect to said central portion, to render the use of guides to hold said chain flights to the bottom of said conveyer unnecessary.

4. In a track mounted loading machine, a main frame, a conveyer mounted on said main frame and extending from the ground in advance of said main frame, over said main frame to a position beyond the rear end thereof, said conveyer including a center strand endless chain extending from the forward to the rear end thereof and having a plurality of spaced apart laterally projecting nights, laterally flexible and vertically adjustable forward and rear trough sections and a central trough section, and flexible connections between 'said forward and rear trough sections forming a continuous trough from one end of the conveyer to the other, and the rear and forward ,trough sections of ysaid conveyer being so arranged with respect to said centralr trough section in vertical planes that the plane surfaces o f the .bottom thereof are at angles of degrees or greater to said central portion, when in all positions of vertical adjustment with respect to said central trough section, rto cause said chain to be positively engaged with the bottoms of-said conveyer trough sections when in all positions of vertical adjustment with respect to each other.

5. In al track mounted loading machine, a main frame, a conveyer, said conveyer extending from the ground in Aadvance of said main fram-e, over the top of said main frame. and laterally beyond the rearend thereof, gathering .mechanism on the forward end ofsaidl conveyer, the forward portion .ofsaid conveyer being laterally flexible, to permit the positioning of said gathering mech- .anism to either side of said main frame, and also being vertically adjustable about a horizontal transverse axis, the rear portion of said conveyer being laterally flexible and also being vertically adjustable about a horizontal transverse axis and the central portion of said conveyer being fixed from lateral movement, the material moving portion of said conveyer including a laterally flexible center strand endless chain having spaced apart flights projecting laterally from opposite sides thereof, movable along the bottom of said conveyer from one end thereof to the other, and the vertical angles between the material carrying surfaces of said forward and rear portions of said conveyer with respect to said central portion of said conveyer being 180 degrees or greater, when said portions are in various positions of vertical adjustment with respect to said central portion, to hold said chain in engagement with said material carrying surfaces and render the use of guides to hold said chain to the bottoms of said material carrying surfaces unnecessary.

6. In a loading machine of the class described, a track mounted truck, an inclined elevating conveyer projecting forwardly from the forward end of said truck, gathering mechanism extending along opposite sides of said conveyer adjacent the forward end thereof, and a supporting connection for said elevating conveyer on said truck including a vertical shaft journaled at its upper and lower ends on the forward end of said truck, a frame mounted on said shaft and projecting forwardly therefrom and having a motor mounted on the forward end thereof, for driving said gathering mechanism, a transverse pivotal supporting connection between said swinging frame and conveyer, said connection being disposed forwardly of and above said motor, and means for laterally swinging said frame and conveyer including a exible chain engaging a rearwardly projecting portion of said frame and having connection therewith at opposite sides thereof.

7. In a loading machine of the class described, a track mounted truck, an inclined'elevating conveyer projecting forwardly from the forward end of said truck, gathering mechanism extending along opposite sides of said conveyer adjacent the forward end thereof, and a supporting connection for said elevating conveyer on said truck including a vertical shaft journaled at its upper and lower ends on the forward end of said truck, a frame mounted on said shaft and projecting forwardly therefrom and having a motor mounted on the forward endthereof, for driving said gathering mechanism, anda transverse pivotal supportmg connection between said swinging frame and conveyer, said connection being disposed forwardly of and above said motor, and means for laterally swinging said frame and conveyer including a flexible chain engaging a, rearwardly projecting portion of said frame and having connection therewith at opposite sides thereof, and a cylinder and piston extending along one side of said truck and having connection with said chain.

8. A loading machine including a main frame, an inclined trough section projecting forwardly from the forward end of said main frame and mounted thereon for lateral swinging movement with respect thereto and for vertical adjustment with respect thereto about a transverse axis, a

central trough section mounted on and extendr ing along said main frame and a rear trough section projecting rearwardly from the rear end of andere said main frame and mountedthereon for-lateral swinging movement with respect thereto and for vertical adjustment about a horizontal transverse axis, and flexible trough connections between said forward and central trough sections and said central and discharge trough sections, forming a continuous uninterrupted trough from the forward end of saidforward trough section to the rear end of said rear trough section, in all positions of articulation of said trough sections with respect to each other, to permit a material moving means to move material from said forward to said central trough section andl from said central to said rear trough section at the same level.

FRANK CARTLIDGE. 

